This wooden bridge was used for unloading cargo from moored ships and was about twenty feet long. Li Zicheng and Hua Bushi walked towards each other until they reached the center of the wooden bridge and stood face to face.
At this same distance, hundreds of muskets from the Pili camp arrayed on the dock fired. It was not difficult to kill Li Zicheng. And if Li Zicheng drew his sword first and killed Hua Bushi, the young master would definitely not know martial arts. Can't escape.
However, Li Zicheng didn't seem to mean to draw his sword to hurt anyone. His expression was kind and calm, which was completely different from when he gathered at Biluo Mountain that day. Hua Bushi, on the other hand, had a biting chill on his face and looked at Li Zicheng with a gaze as sharp as a sharp blade. sharp.
"Brother Hua has lost a lot of weight. I guess it's because he's been working so hard these days." Li Zicheng spoke first.
His tone remained the same, as if he was still the older brother who was more concerned about his younger brother.[
Hua Bushi stared at Li Zicheng's face, and after a moment he said: "Thirteen thousand."
Li Zicheng said: "What did you say?"
Hua Bushi said: "All the thirteen thousand refugees in Biluo Village were slaughtered!"
Li Zicheng said: "Brother Yu and King Chuang returned to Huaiqing from northern Henan. They heard Li Guohe Waiqi tell about the army's attack on Biluo Village. However, the situation at that time was too late to rescue. Later, the army and the army encircled the city. We can only abandon the city and leave."
Hua Bushi said: "How did you know it was too late to rescue? There were originally more than two hundred rebels staying in Biluo Village, plus the five or six hundred people who carried grain and grass back, it was enough to hold on for several days. Unless you had already planned to abandon Biluo Village, there was no way After transporting grain and grass back, the soldiers who stayed behind were ordered to withdraw, so they were captured by the army in less than half a day, am I right?"
A complicated look flashed across Li Zicheng's eyes, and he said: "Brother Hua led his troops to return for reinforcements. He must already know the inside story, so why ask me."
Hua Bushi said: "When I took Ningning's family and more than a thousand refugees to Biluo Mountain, you promised to take care of them, but in the end you abandoned them and allowed them to be brutally killed!"
He glared at Li Zicheng and said sternly: "You are taking in the refugees just to expand your army and take the young and strong among them for your own use. The remaining old, weak, women and children are just a burden to you. This time I just want to get rid of this burden with the help of the army! I misjudged you and believed you would protect them! Those innocent people died so unjustly, I must avenge them!"
Li Zicheng's expression was still calm and he said: "Brother Hua is kind-hearted. As an elder brother, you naturally understand. However, in today's troubled times of Shura, famine, war, and plague will take away many lives every day." , which one is innocent, and which one does not die unjustly? If you want to avenge each of them, can you get it?"
Hua Bushi gritted his teeth and said, "I will repay even if I can't repay the full amount. I'll pay whatever I can get! Do you think you can lead your army to cross the Qi River today? You killed those refugees with the help of the officers and soldiers. I can also use the hands of the army to destroy you!"
Now, behind Li Zicheng's troops, Zhang Zongheng, Zhang Yingchang, and He Renlong's army are closely pursuing them. They can only escape by crossing the Qi River as quickly as possible. If they are blocked on the river bank and a large group of officers and soldiers pursue them, they will be able to escape. There was only a dead end. Hua Bushi had obviously determined that Li Zicheng would cross the river at Dongyao Ferry, so he took the lead and occupied the pier, setting up a siege.
Li Zicheng looked at Hua Bushi's somewhat red eyes, but his expression did not change at all, and said: "Brother Hua's strategy has been known to me for a long time, and I have always admired it. Since you have been prepared to kill me for a long time, I probably won't be able to escape. But Brother Hua is very wrong this time, do you understand?"
Hua Bushi said: "Really?"
Li Zicheng said: "I only have one life, and it is not a pity to die. But have you ever thought about the rebel brothers on the river? Many of them are relatives of the refugees in Biluo Mountain. Your actions have caused them to be Killing, can it be said to avenge the dead refugees?"
Hua Bushi said coldly: "Do you want to rely on them to save your own life?"
Li Zicheng solemnly said: "Brother Yu just wants to make it clear to Brother Hua that you are looking for the wrong person to avenge those refugees! It was indeed my decision to abandon Biluo Village, but it was not an act of choice. Now I am the official The army has assembled more than 100,000 troops and marched into Henan. The rebel army has no way to gain a foothold here and can only fight in other places. Brother Hua should be very aware of this situation. Can we imagine that we can march with more than 10,000 refugees? They are all Even if you take the old, weak, women and children with you, they will be overtaken by the army within a few days, and they will inevitably be killed!"
"Among the refugees in Biluo Village, many are the wives, children and children of the rebel brothers. Why am I willing to let them be killed, but other than leaving them behind, is there any better way?"
Hua Bushi said: "Since you have made up your mind to abandon the stronghold, why didn't you make the news public earlier? At least you can let the refugees in the stronghold escape first, instead of all being massacred. You are just afraid of affecting the soldiers. The morale of the army! You know that Biluo Village will be captured by the army sooner or later, and the family members of the rebel soldiers are dead, so you will be even more determined to follow you to kill officials and rebel for your use. But you never expected that I would If you find out the news about the attack on the stronghold by the army in advance and go back to rescue, it will almost ruin your big event, right?"
Hearing this, Li Zicheng's face turned red, and he said loudly: "You have to know that it was the army that killed them, not me, Li Hongji! Brother Hua is a man of foresight, don't you know that he wants to achieve great things?" Don’t you stick to trivial principles?” [
He paused for a while, his expression gradually calmed down, and he said: "Brother Hua invited me to meet across the river, and Brother Yu knew that Brother Hua actually did not intend to kill me. You and I are good brothers, and we should work together to overturn the current Ming Dynasty. , and by driving the emperor off the throne, we can truly avenge all those who have died unjustly in this troubled world!"
Hua Bushi stared at Li Zicheng, and after a long time he said: "You guessed it right, I have no intention of killing you today, but that is just because of my relationship with Brother Ma Wu back then. I will never kill his brother with my own hands." .Thirteen thousand lives may seem like something that can be discarded in your opinion, but in Hua Bushi’s eyes, it definitely is not! Although they died at the hands of the officers and soldiers, it was because you abandoned them. From today on, the brotherhood between you and me will be severed, and we will have no relationship at all!"
Li Zicheng frowned and said: "Why are you doing this? With the talents of the Hua brothers, if you and I can work together to achieve great things, why not worry about not being able to establish something in this troubled world? It is not difficult to be famous throughout the ages. !”
Hua Bushi said slowly: "I thought you were different from the other rebel leaders, but unfortunately that is not the case. You want to overthrow the Ming Dynasty and become the emperor yourself, but Hua Bushi does not want to do this. You have to sacrifice so many people who deserve it."
I cannot accept your approach. You and I have different ambitions, and the means of doing things are definitely compatible. It would be better to separate earlier."
As he spoke, he turned around and started walking. After taking two steps, he paused and said, "If you and I meet again in the future, we may be enemies rather than friends. I just hope that Li Chuang will take care of himself!"
Hua Bushi had always called Li Zicheng "Brother Li" or "Brother Hongji", but now he called Li Chuangjiang directly. Obviously, he no longer regarded him as a sworn brother. Li Zicheng watched Hua Bushi walk away step by step, with a look on his face.
His expression seemed to be regretful and remorseful.
When Hua Bushi reached the end of the wooden bridge, Li Hu and Ximen Tong were already there to greet him. He mounted his mount and ordered: "Send the order to the Pili camp to withdraw its formation. Let's go!"
Although Hua Bushi looked back to see Li Zicheng again, he felt a sense of sadness and loss in his heart.
He had heard of Li Zicheng for a long time before he met him, and from the first meeting in Wuyang City to the heroic gathering in front of Biluo Village, Hua Bushi once thought that Li Zicheng was a great hero with both benevolence and righteousness, a great hero, and regarded him as his
His elder brother helped him with all reservations. However, the reality made the young master realize that Li Zicheng was just a ruthless hero. His talents, courage, and strategic methods may be able to achieve great things, but they are still not enough to change today's chaos.
"World.
In this "chaotic" world, perhaps there are no real heroes at all!
※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※
Huaiqing City fell, and all the states and prefectures in Henan were in panic. The imperial court sent troops to carry out large-scale campaigns, which caused frequent wars and chaos in various places. However, at this time, Kaifeng City, which was also located in northern Henan, was peaceful and peaceful.
It still maintains its former prosperity.
This is a matter of course.
Kaifeng is known as the "First City in the Central Plains". It is the capital of Henan Province and the seat of the Governor's Yamen of the Chief Secretary of Henan. There are more than 20,000 officers and soldiers stationed in the city, making it the city with the largest number of troops stationed in Henan. The rebels are causing trouble elsewhere.
It's fierce, but I'm determined not to threaten you here.
The most famous and most visited place in Kaifeng City is undoubtedly the Daxiangguo Temple located in Nancheng.
Daxiangguo Temple was built in the Northern Qi Dynasty and flourished in the Tang Dynasty. By the Song Dynasty, it had become the most popular temple in the country. Even the emperor often paid incense and paid homage here. At that time, Lu Zhishen, the heroic "Flower Monk" who lived in Liangshan, once stayed here.
When he became a monk in the temple, there was also a story about "uprooting a weeping willow".
Now after several dynasties, Kaifeng is no longer the capital of the country, and the temple is no longer related to the royal family, but the incense is still quite good, and after many renovations and expansions, the temple is much larger than before.
There is an endless stream of pilgrims to Daxiangguo Temple all year round, and the street directly opposite the temple gate has become the most prosperous and lively place in Kaifeng City.
This street is called "Daxiang Street". It is five feet wide and one hundred feet long. The ground is paved with bluestones and is very smooth. Even a real elephant can walk on this street without any problem.